PM inaugurates first One Window Ehsaas center in Islamabad

PM inaugurates first One Window Ehsaas center in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday inaugurated First Ehsaas One Window Center here to extend services related to all components of the program to the poor at one platform.

The first such facility was opened in the federal capital what Special Assistant to PM on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Dr Sania Nishtar said would be extended across all districts of the country.

“This is the basis of a welfare state,” the prime minister said as Dr Sania Nishtar briefed him on the One Window Center housing 20 services concerning all organs of the Ehsaas program.

The center features the services including Ehsaas Hunar, Ehsaas Utility Store, Langar Khana, Waseela Taleem, Ehsaas Nashonuma, ATM for payment to Ehsaas Kafalat beneficiaries, One Woman One Account, Ehsaas Tahaffuz, Ehsaas Wifi Café, Ehsaas Scholarship, Ehsaas interest free loans, NADRA office for biometric verification and others.

The prime minister, who also planted a sapling there after unveiling the plaque, took a round the center and interacted with the beneficiaries as well as the officials.

At a Utility Store, set up inside the center, the prime minister was apprised of how it would facilitate the needy people.

During the briefing, Dr Sania told the prime minister that the One Window Center had multiple pillars including Ehsaas Digital, Mobile application, Back Office and Beneficiary Policy.

She said the nationwide survey was 91 percent complete that, after integration, would be accessible to all Ehsaas organs to know the eligibility and needs of an applicant.

She said earlier, there was a discrepancy in the process as the agencies were using varying eligibility methods, influential families availing the benefits while others used to remain deprived of their rights.

She said earlier the registration of disabled persons was difficult and lengthy procedure; however the database would make it easier also enabling the agencies concerned to know their needs like wheel chair.

Dr Sania said through One Window Digital, the frequently asked questions of the people regarding scholarships, loans etc. would be responded in simple Urdu.

Moreover, the mobile application would enable the people to locate the nearest Panagah or Langar Khana, particularly for the benefit of the volunteers.

During the briefing, the prime minister remarked that the education scholarship being offered by the provincial and federal government should be consolidated at a single database for the benefit of students.

Moreover, he said the database to be established on basis of nationwide survey would help the government know who was availing zakat.

He said the database would also enable the government to extend direct subsidy to the needy people to make them avail the commodities reduced rates through Utility Stores.